PROGRESS IN THE DRUG FIGHT

To the Editor:

Re "Not Winning the War on Drugs" (editorial, July
2):

You say that "some experts argue that the rising price of cocaine on
American streets is mostly the result of a strong euro and
fast-growing demand in Europe." But this argument doesn't take into
account the even greater disruption for methamphetamine, which no one
is diverting to Europe.

You selectively slice the Monitoring the Future data, citing 12th
graders' annual use of cocaine in 2007, to claim that teenagers are
using "more" cocaine than they did in 2001. But examination of that
data shows a decrease in use by 12th graders from the previous year,
to 5.2 percent in 2007 from 5.7 percent in 2006. And this is far below
the peak of 6.2 percent in 1999.

It should be noted that during that 2006-7 period, the administration
detected a significant and continuing disruption in cocaine
availability in the United States.

Our balanced strategy integrates a public health understanding of the
disease of addiction with policies to reduce drug supply. Yet you
charge that we neglect demand reduction. You should also have
mentioned that Congress substantially underfinanced the
administration's requests to support critical demand initiatives (the
National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, the Access to Recovery
treatment initiative and drug courts).

John Walters

Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy

Washington